Windies back to full strength for Hurricane Relief T20

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – West Indies will be at full strength for next month’s hurricane relief Twenty20 International against a Rest of the World XI in London.

Captain Carlos Brathwaite, along with the likes of superstar Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Evin Lewis, were yesterday named in a 13-man squad for the May 31 contest at historic Lord’s.

The high-profile quartet missed the three-match series in Pakistan earlier this month, with selectors forced to send a depleted unit.

Carlos Brathwaite

Chris Gayle

Evin Lewis

“We welcome the return of the players who missed the Pakistan series and are delighted to recall Andre Russell to the squad, as we believe he will have a key role in our white ball cricket,” said chief selector Courtney Browne.

“Denesh Ramdin and Keemo Paul keep their places after encouraging performances at both regional and international level.”

Still missing, however, are the Trinidadian pair of Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard who are currently campaigning in the Indian Premier League.

Both pulled out of the New Zealand series last December citing “personal reasons” and also did not tour Pakistan recently.

Veteran Marlon Samuels, the only senior player on the tour of Pakistan, is again retained in the squad.

Fast bowler Odean Smith, who made his debut in the recent series, has kept his place despite a couple of ordinary performances but Jason Mohammed, who led the squad in Karachi in Brathwaite’s absence, has been dropped along with Andre McCarthy, Chadwick Walton and Veerasammy Permaul.

The Windies will take on a Rest of the World XI, led by England white-ball skipper Eoin Morgan, with funds going towards helping to rebuild stadia in the Caribbean damaged by the passage of deadly Hurricanes Irma and Maria last September.

Windsor Park in Dominica, which hosted the last of its five Tests as recently as last May when Pakistan toured the Caribbean, is in line for assistance after sustaining damage.